Women's Fencing

BOSTON, MA - The Pioneer women's fencing team
finished the regular season with a sixth place overall finish in a
field of fifteen schools at the 2010 New England Fencing
Championships Tournament last weekend.

Team captain Krista Bacci again led
the way with a strong 11-3 record in the team portion of the
tournament where the saber squad placed fourth, tying Boston
College with 31 victories but losing by having a lower touch
differential.

Catie
Sagevick went 9-5 in the B strip competition and Courtney Perlee
went 11-3 to place fourth in the C strip. Both Bacci and Sagevick
qualified for the individual championship competition. Bacci
advanced to the championship round while Sagevick placed tenth.
Bacci had a perfect 5-0 record in the championship pool to win the
tournament championship. Bacci had placed in the top three in her
three previous starts in this event.

"We are very happy for Krista's win in this tournament," said
head coach Dr.
Thomas Vrabel. "She had come so close to winning this event in
the past. It was great to see her get the win as a senior. I was
pleased with the performance of the saber squad in this event. With
Elena Tringa
unable to compete due to illness, Catie Sagevick and
Courtney
Perlee stepped up and had nice performances. It was nice to see
these three seniors finish their careers together in this way."

Freshman Jayme
Smith also starred in foil for the Pioneers, placing fourth in
the individual competition. "This was the best performance this
season for Jayme," said Dr. Vrabel. "She is stepping up to be a
real leader on the team, which is always a challenge for a
freshman. I look for Jayme to have a great finish to her year in
the NCAA Championship."

In epee, freshman Colleen Mason placed
seventh in the A strip event and just missed qualifying for the
individual championship. Ali Roach and Sara Graziosi both
had 7-7 records in the B and C strip epee events.

The Pioneers are back in action on March 6th at Brown in the
first round of the NCAA Championship. Six Sacred Heart University
fencers (Bacci, Tringa and Sagevick in saber, Mason and Roach in
epee, and Smith in foil) have qualified for the event where they
will be attempting to make it to the NCAA Championship which will
be held at Harvard from March 25-28.